Jackson radius confusion!

[Pjc007]

I’m refretting my USA Jackson dinky from 88’ and needed to true the fretboard up (had the dreaded hump at the heel) once frets were removed and whilst checking the radius it was measuring 14” to barely 16” at the heel! Apart from the first inch at either end it’s virtually a straight 15” radius Anyone come across this before? I mean considering they’re meant to be a 12/16 compound. Not that it really matters but it took me by surprise….

[pianoguyy]

Makes sense - the gradual increase.
It would be really odd playing if you had 12" 1-10 and then switched to 16" for the rest.

[Pjc007]

Makes sense - the gradual increase.
It would be really odd playing if you had 12" 1-10 and then switched to 16" for the rest.

You can still have a gradual 12/16 compound! My point was that this is virtually a straight 15” all the way when it was meant to be a 12/16. Obviously it doesn’t matter but it’s not even close to factory specs and was wondering if others had come across it before…

[toejam]

I thought at one time they did use a straight 15" radius.

[Pjc007]

I thought at one time they did use a straight 15" radius.

Really? Have never seen that anywhere online.

[toejam]

I could swear I read that in some magazine in the '90s.

[ed]

I thought they were always 12-16inch radius but i dont know at what point they adapted that or were they that from the beginning.

Also you have to take time in consideration and what things might have happened to the instrument like fretjobs, Maybe they replaced the frets, maybe they had to sand the fretboard or whatever.
Also the fretboards and necks move over time they are made from wood after all and no carbon fiber rods were used back then.
Also i highly doubt they checked every instruments fretboard radius whne it left the factory maybe they did but who knows.

There are lots of variables at play. When i have levelled fretboards i rarely check the radius i just go with the fretboard and i dont use radiused sanding blocks.

[Pjc007]

I thought they were always 12-16inch radius but i dont know at what point they adapted that or were they that from the beginning.

Also you have to take time in consideration and what things might have happened to the instrument like fretjobs, Maybe they replaced the frets, maybe they had to sand the fretboard or whatever.
Also the fretboards and necks move over time they are made from wood after all and no carbon fiber rods were used back then.
Also i highly doubt they checked every instruments fretboard radius whne it left the factory maybe they did but who knows.

There are lots of variables at play. When i have levelled fretboards i rarely check the radius i just go with the fretboard and i dont use radiused sanding blocks.

Agree about using a radius block on a compound radius especially. I just use a straight narrow beam and follow string line, although on a guitar with a fixed radius I sometimes use one…

[metalhobo]

the 1984 jackson/charvel catalog specifies a 16" radius (at the nut) for jackson and charvel guitars. not sure when they switched to compound. I should measure my 87 and 88 guitars.

[pianoguyy]

Compound Radius was around by the time the Import Era began. So, a 1988 USA would have it available.
But, being a USA, it could be ordered any way we wanted.